Favorites: Winter 2016 Edition

Hello, hello friends! Welcome back. Spring is right around the corner! I can feel it, it’s so close and I’m itching for some warmer weather and brighter colors! Also with the changing of the seasons also comes a wrap up on some favorite products and a few other random bits. Here’s what I’ve been loving for these last winter months:

Makeup Favorites

Tartelette in Bloom Palette– I’ve used this now in a few tutorials and have been absolutely loving it. Usually I’m not one for a ton of warm tones, but I love that these have a more rosy undertone rather than the popular oranges or reds. The formula of the shadows are super buttery and smooth and the addition of shimmers is a great touch. Also, the packaging is freaking beautiful.

Revlon Colorstay Foundation– It’s no surprise that I love this foundation. It’s my favorite at the drugstore, if not overall so far. However, this particular version is special. This comes with a pump and also contains SPF. I LOVE this formula for everyday wear! I stumbled upon this particular version on a whim at Target and haven’t been able to find it in abundance anywhere else yet. If anyone knows where to find this easily, let me know!

Tarte Tartiest Lip Paint in Lovespell– I ADORE this color! I’m not much of a pink girl, but I love these deeper bright magenta colors. This color is like the liquid lipstick version of my favorite Colourpop I Heart This Lippie Stix. The formula is a very comfortable feeling mousse texture and it has pretty long wear time. It dries down to a matte and isn’t sticky whatsoever. The only downside is that because these are highly pigmented, there is a bit of transfer and smudging, otherwise I like these a lot and am excited to get more colors.

L’Oreal Lumi Cushion Foundation– I picked this up to use in my Drugstore Tutorial and I’ve come to really like it! It’s great for everyday wear when you want something lightweight but still want a bit of coverage. It’s a nice medium coverage but can be built up to a full-medium easily.

Lâncome La Base Primer– I’m not sure if I’ve really even talked about this product at all, but nonetheless I still really like it. I had a sample of this primer and it worked for me so well I decided to bite the bullet cash wise and get the full size. This gives such a smooth base and makes foundation apply so flawlessly. It’s a silicone-y texture but ramped up. It’s even better than the Smashbox Photofinish. It doesn’t control oil a bunch but it’s really nice.

NYX Liquid Suede in Stone Fox– I used this color in my guest post on My Violet Delights and didn’t expect to get as much wear out of it as I did. It’s this beautiful unique blue-grey color that’s so bold and beautiful and unlike anything I’ve seen on the market for such a low price. In my last favorites, I included my other NYX Liquid Suede in Vintage, so I think it’s safe to say that I love this formula. It’s very opaque, super pigmented, and nice and creamy. It’s inbetween a mousse and traditional liquid lipstick formula. It dries down slightly tacky, but not uncomfortably so. I can’t wait to get more colors from this range!

Makeup Tools Favorites

Morphe M433 Pro Firm Blending Brush– I love this brush for putting color in the crease! It makes things ten times simpler to apply! I haven’t really used a MAC 217, but I feel like this could be comparable. It’s nice and fluffy and the natural bristles are a great quality for the price.

Morphe E45 Mini Detail Contour Brush– I haven’t used this to contour yet, but I love to use this to blend out concealer under the eyes. The bristles are dense and compact and super soft synthetic material. The handle is also nice and weighted, making it have a nice luxury feeling even though the price is still pretty reasonable!

Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge– Everyone compares this to the Beauty Blender, but I find it’s not quite the same. The shape is different and I find that this absorbs a bit too much water at times and the material can get slightly delicate due to this. If you handle it properly, though it’s fine and I haven’t had any tears like my actual Beauty Blenders. Nonetheless, it’s still a pretty great sponge. The flat side is great for foundation and I really like pairing it with the L’Oreal Cushion foundation and I really like the pointed side for applying powder for baking.

Skincare Favorites

OZ Naturals Ocean Mineral Cleanser– I know that I just recently reviewed this product, but I honestly have come to love it so much. It has given a ton of radiance to my complexion and has been a great addition to my skincare routine. I love using this in conjunction with my Michael Todd Charcoal Detox, which have become my holy grail duo and given me GREAT results!

Boots Botanics Hot Cloth Cleansing Balm– This is a great makeup remover, especially when you have a full face on or are wearing super stubborn waterproof mascara. It’s super affordable, there’s a ton of product, and the ingredients are great.

The Body Shop Fuji Green Tea Body Butter– These body butters are my favorite, but I especially love this scent and formula! This one in particular is lessy balmy and more lotion-y but still very hydrating. Also, the scent is a lovely slightly floral and soothing fragrance. Plus, the color is so my style. My brother picked this out for Christmas and I’ve been loving it since!

Fashion Favorites

H&M Sweater Cardigan (similar)- If you recall in my previous Spring Favorites post, I featured a lightweight short sleeve cardigan. Open cardigans are some of my favorite layering pieces to pull an outfit and this longer, sweater material one is perfect for the cooler months. The neutral grey color goes with everything and it was super affordable!

H&M Premium Pima Cotton Striped Shirt (print out of stock)- Micro striped shirts have been super popular recently and this one is my favorite! It was a few more dollars for a basic piece at H&M, but the quality is there. The fabric is stretchy and soft and it bounces back in the wash nicely. The fit is great and I really want to get more shirts from this line because the material is wonderful.

Danskin Lined Leggings– I can’t stand wearing pants, so I prefer leggings and these were my favorite for the cooler months. Some leggings aren’t warm enough for the harsh winter but these ones are lined with a fleecy material so it’s kind of like wearing secret sweatpants. They’re super comfortable and keep you warm! I found mine at Marshall’s.

Lulu’s Mirrored Cat-Eye Sunglasses– These are a knockoff of the Quay My Girl sunglasses. I really love sunglasses and popular styles, but don’t like making the investment. I found these on Lulu’s.com which replicate the Quay styles, but I recently found Sunglass Spot which make dupes for even cheaper, including in this style!

Random Favorites

1. Favorite TV Shows

Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries– This show popped into my recommended titles from Netflix and I was so intrigued that I got into it. This is an Australian TV murder mystery period show set in the 1920s and revolves around the strong and independent Miss Fisher who acts as a private detective. It should be noted that I love the 1920s (suffrage!), strong female leads, and period dramas and this show has all of that plus some romance. All 3 seasons are on Netflix, and Season 4 is still up in the air, which I hope turns into fruition.

Downton Abbey– Speaking of period dramas, Downton Abbey is the mother of all period dramas. I used to watch this show but fell behind. When I heard that the show was in its final season, I decided to get back into it especially since all of the seasons are available on Amazon Prime. In case you didn’t know, this is a British series that centers around an upper society family and their servants. The juxtaposition of upstairs and downstairs life is so interesting, especially since it is set in the early 20th century and with a totally different set of values and customs compared to what we have in America.

About A Boy– This show is nice and light-hearted compared to the darker movie with Hugh Grant it is based on. It focuses on the life of a playboy, child-like musician whose life is turned upside down when a hippie single mom and her son move next door. The son befriends the musician and they form a unique friendship. I’m so sad that this show has been cancelled, because I really thought that it could go on to have a wonderful storyline. All 2 seasons are available on Netflix.

Jane the Virgin– Another light-hearted show with a dramatic twist, I wasn’t expecting to like this show as much as I did. This show is based on a telenovela and is about a latina woman who vowed to keep her virginity until marriage to her Catholic grandmother. However, on a routine check up to the gyno, she is accidentally artificially inseminated. The show is full of suspense and classic telenovela/soap opera drama. Even though the characters are primarily latino, I can relate a lot to the whole family, as my Filipino side is very similar.

2. Favorite Music- I’ve been so addicted to the Halsey album, Badlands! I love her soulful, millennial, indie-pop vibes. She’s kind of up there with Lana Del Rey, but with a little more edge. My favorite song so far is Roman Holiday.

3. Favorite Blog– I’ve collaborated with My Violet Delights a couple of times now and so I just wanted to give her a shout out for letting me guest-post and also for creating content here as well. She’s a fashion blogger from Australia and I love her taste! You should definitely check her out!

A post shared by Rachael (@myvioletdelights) on Feb 13, 2016 at 8:10pm PST

4. Favorite Instagram– I discovered @kimthainguyen when she was featured on Morphe’s page. I love that she is not your typical Asian beauty blogger and that she’s so body positive! She’s very talented and seems very genuine.

5. Favorite Youtube Channel– I’ve been loving the channel Marissa Lace lately. She has been posting a lot of content about positivity and mindfulness along with beauty and lifestyle content, all of which has been so uplifting and inspiring. She also started a new series called “Year of You” which I love!

A post shared by Marissa✨ (@marissalace) on Feb 24, 2016 at 8:52am PST

Alright, that’s a wrap on what I’ve been loving these past few months; I’m saying goodbye to winter and hello to spring! What made it into your favorites this month? Let me know in a comment below! Also, be sure to follow me on social media using the following links. I’m super close to 800 followers on Instagram, so if you could help me out, that would be great! I promise to follow back 🙂 Until next time—

Thanks, Allison! No one knows about that show when I talk about it, so I’m glad I finally found someone else! Do you know if it’s coming back for season 4? And yes, Downton Abbey will be missed. I hope you get the Tartelette In Bloom palette to try out— it’s great!

Hi Megan, I am happy to drop by your blog and read your post…that’s a great list of favourites…I have been trying to watch Downtown Abbey for a long time but really have no time for TV…haha…will definitely check out your fav instagrammer and youtuber for some doses of positivity too! 🙂

OMG, I’m obsessed with the Revlon ColorStay Foundation but it’s always a bummer that it never had a pump and SPF and my mouth dropped when you mentioned that the one you have has both. Gosh, I need to find it soon because I need to replace my current one. Thanks for sharing Megan xo